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Leo Stypes, patriarch of Constantinople (1134–43)

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God, seated on a backless throne, holding Christ on her knees. At left and right, sigla M-Ρ-ΘV: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of eight lines preceded by decoration. Border of dots.

 
ΛΈΩΝ
ἘΛΈΩΘΥἈΡΧ,
ΚΩΝΣΤΝΤ,Ν
ΠΌΛΕΩΣΝΈΑ
ΡΏΜΗΣΚΙΟ
ΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚ
ΠΡΙΆΡΧ,

Λέων ἐλέῳ Θ(εο)ῦ ἀρχ(ι)επίσκοπος Κωνσταντ(ι)νουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης καὶ οἰκουμενικ(ὸς) π(ατ)ριάρχ(ης).

Obverse

The Mother of God, seated on a backless throne, holding Christ on her knees. At left and right, sigla M-Ρ-ΘV: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of eight lines preceded by decoration. Border of dots.

 
ΛΈΩΝ
ἘΛΈΩΘΥἈΡΧ,
ΚΩΝΣΤΝΤ,Ν
ΠΌΛΕΩΣΝΈΑ
ΡΏΜΗΣΚΙΟ
ΚΟΥΜΕΝΙΚ
ΠΡΙΆΡΧ,

Λέων ἐλέῳ Θ(εο)ῦ ἀρχ(ι)επίσκοπος Κωνσταντ(ι)νουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης καὶ οἰκουμενικ(ὸς) π(ατ)ριάρχ(ης).

Accession number BZS.1958.106.313 (formerly DO 58.106.313)
Diameter 42.0 mm; field: 34.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 122.1; Zacos, Seals 2: no. 22; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1631; Oikonomides, Dated Lead Seals, no. 115. Cf. Galavaris, “Thokos,” no. 26 (p. 176).

Translation

Λέων ἐλέῳ Θεοῦ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης καὶ οἰκουμενικὸς πατριάρχης.

Leo, by the grace of God, archbishop of Constantinople, the New Rome, and ecumenical patriarch.

Commentary

For a listing of members of the illustrious family of Stypes/Stypeiotes, see: Cheynet, Pouvoir, no. 145 n. 1; Seibt–Zarnitz, no. 3.2.7; Stavrakos, Bleisiegel Athen, no. 247; and Jordanov, Preslav, nos. 116–17.

The reverse inscription has accent and breathing marks.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals (Open in Zotero)
  • The Representation of the Virgin and Child on a ‘Thokos’ on Seals of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchs (Open in Zotero)
  • Pouvoir et contestations à Byzance, 963–1210 (Open in Zotero)
  • Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als Kunstwerk: Katalog zur Ausstellung (Open in Zotero)
  • Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel mit Familiennamen aus der Sammlung des Numismatischen Museums Athen (Open in Zotero)
  • Pechatite ot strategii︠a︡ta v Preslav, 971-1088 (Open in Zotero)